Harrison Elementary Receives $25,000 For Fitness Trail

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Jennifer [email protected]

Harrison Elementary is one step closer to constructing a fitness trail that will be used by its students and the community.

Harrison Elementary received a $25,000 check from Menards Corp. to construct a fitness trail at the school during Monday's Warsaw City Council meeting.

Dennis Spitler, Investors Realty, presented the check to Harrison Elementary Principal Randy Polston and Harrison Elementary physical education teacher Scott Mehlberg during the meeting.

Investors Realty was the real estate agent for the project, and Menards Corp. donated the money.

The check will go toward constructing a half-mile trail that will be located directly behind the school building and to the north of the new Menards development and subdivision.

The trail will be used by walkers, joggers, runners, rollerbladers and bicyclists.

"The purpose of the trail is to provide a safe environment for anyone who wants a safe place to exercise," Mehlberg said.

"The trail will not only benefit the students of Harrison Elementary, but be available for any member of the community to exercise in a safe area."

The Warsaw City Council approved at its Jan. 17 meeting rezoning approximately 21 acres from R-1 residential to C-2 commercial along Husky Trail and Patterson Road to accommodate the development of a Menards store and residential subdivision.

The school previously received $25,000 from an anonymous donor for the trail.

Mehlberg said he came up with the idea four years ago to construct a trail on the grounds of Harrison Elementary.

He said he has been discussing the trail with Warsaw Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Haworth and Scearce-Rudisel Architects for the past six months.

There will be 10 stations placed around the trail. The stations will be set up with a sign giving directions for a physical activity to be performed.

It will begin with warm-up stations, and have cool-down stations at the end of the trail. The stations will be made out of galvanized steel piping with 4-by-4 wood beams.

He said the school's goal is to create a 1-mile trail.

"Once the money has been raised to complete the 1-mile trail, it will loop around to the front of the school and then connect again to the existing half-mile loop," Mehlberg said.

He said bids have not been set, but the projected cost to put fitness stations around the half-mile asphalt trail will cost approximately $50,000.

Mehlberg said trail construction should begin this fall after the bid process takes place.

He said he will conduct fundraising through the school to promote awareness and reach the school's goal of raising $95,000 for the trail.

"I hope that there will be other individuals and companies in our community that believe in what we are doing as much as I do and want to help promote a healthy area for individuals in our community to enjoy," Mehlberg said.

The trail will be open during non-school hours for community members to use. It also will be open all day every day during the summer months for anyone to use.[[In-content Ad]]

Harrison Elementary is one step closer to constructing a fitness trail that will be used by its students and the community.

Harrison Elementary received a $25,000 check from Menards Corp. to construct a fitness trail at the school during Monday's Warsaw City Council meeting.

Dennis Spitler, Investors Realty, presented the check to Harrison Elementary Principal Randy Polston and Harrison Elementary physical education teacher Scott Mehlberg during the meeting.

Investors Realty was the real estate agent for the project, and Menards Corp. donated the money.

The check will go toward constructing a half-mile trail that will be located directly behind the school building and to the north of the new Menards development and subdivision.

The trail will be used by walkers, joggers, runners, rollerbladers and bicyclists.

"The purpose of the trail is to provide a safe environment for anyone who wants a safe place to exercise," Mehlberg said.

"The trail will not only benefit the students of Harrison Elementary, but be available for any member of the community to exercise in a safe area."

The Warsaw City Council approved at its Jan. 17 meeting rezoning approximately 21 acres from R-1 residential to C-2 commercial along Husky Trail and Patterson Road to accommodate the development of a Menards store and residential subdivision.

The school previously received $25,000 from an anonymous donor for the trail.

Mehlberg said he came up with the idea four years ago to construct a trail on the grounds of Harrison Elementary.

He said he has been discussing the trail with Warsaw Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Haworth and Scearce-Rudisel Architects for the past six months.

There will be 10 stations placed around the trail. The stations will be set up with a sign giving directions for a physical activity to be performed.

It will begin with warm-up stations, and have cool-down stations at the end of the trail. The stations will be made out of galvanized steel piping with 4-by-4 wood beams.

He said the school's goal is to create a 1-mile trail.

"Once the money has been raised to complete the 1-mile trail, it will loop around to the front of the school and then connect again to the existing half-mile loop," Mehlberg said.

He said bids have not been set, but the projected cost to put fitness stations around the half-mile asphalt trail will cost approximately $50,000.

Mehlberg said trail construction should begin this fall after the bid process takes place.

He said he will conduct fundraising through the school to promote awareness and reach the school's goal of raising $95,000 for the trail.

"I hope that there will be other individuals and companies in our community that believe in what we are doing as much as I do and want to help promote a healthy area for individuals in our community to enjoy," Mehlberg said.

The trail will be open during non-school hours for community members to use. It also will be open all day every day during the summer months for anyone to use.[[In-content Ad]]
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